Snow making apparatus

ABSTRACT

A snow making apparatus utilizing air and water to artificially produce snow. A metal snow gun housing is provided with independent air and water chambers for supplying air and water under pressure to nozzles. A nucleating nozzle is provided which includes a tubular housing having a mixing chamber therein and the tubular housing is removably received in the snow gun housing with sealed engagement. One or more apertures are provided through side walls of the tubular housing whereby these apertures register with the air chamber of the snow gun housing for access of air under pressure therethrough into the mixing chamber of the nucleating nozzle tubular housing. A water nozzle is secured to the internal end of the tubular housing and sprays water under pressure from the segregated water chamber into the tubular housing mixing chamber. A combination air-water nozzle is detachably secured to the forward end of the tubular housing of this nucleating nozzle structure at the external end of the mixing chamber whereby the nozzle aperture of this combination nozzle is axially aligned with the water nozzle aperture. A filter screen covers the spray aperture for the water nozzle to prevent clogging.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] This invention relates to a snow making apparatus, and more particularly, to snow making apparatus of the type which utilize internal mixing of air and water under pressure.

[0002] Many different devices have been devised and used for “artificially” producing snow or for producing “man-made” snow. Such devices are utilized at ski resorts to supplement the supply of natural snow on ski trails. Whether the snow making apparatus is situated at ground level or atop a support tower, they are generally referred to as “snow guns” in the industry and they all typically produce snow by projecting a mixture of air and water under pressure in the form of a fine spray into the surrounding subfreezing ambient atmosphere. The snow guns are of basically two types, one wherein the air and water are internally mixed before spraying into the ambient atmosphere and a second wherein the air and water are externally mixed in the ambient atmosphere such that water spray droplets are projected into a stream of cold air under pressure. The present invention relates to the type of snow making apparatus or snow gun which utilizes internal mixing techniques. Internal mixing and external mixing each have their own advantages and disadvantages.

[0003] Internal mixing of the air and water under pressure allow for excellent control of the atomization process. The resulting plume of atomized water which is formed in the exterior atmosphere is made up of uniformly sized well frozen nuclei. To the contrary, a wide variety of droplet sizes are found in the nucleating plume generated through external mixing of air and water. In addition, with external mixing of air and water from separate streams under pressure, high winds tend to deflect the air and “strip” the air from making full and efficient contact with the water spray in such external mixing designs. Accordingly, internal mixing tends to be more efficient.

[0004] Through the use of internal mixing designs, nuclei or ice seed crystals are able to be formed at a higher ambient temperature than is possible through the use of external mixing. The result is better quality snow at equal or higher temperatures.

[0005] However, a number of problems have been encountered in the industry with internal mixing snow guns or snow making apparatus. Freeze-up of the nozzle in some prior art internal mixing snow guns tends to be more likely than incurred with external mixing apparatus which is properly configured. With many existing internal mixing designs, freeze-up is common as moving ice crystals block the nozzle and the mixing or nucleator nozzle must be constantly heated by one means or another in order to keep the nucleator nozzle operating. Heating the nucleator nozzle is a major disadvantage or limitation because not only does it increase the manufacturing cost and operating complexity of the unit, but significantly limits the product's field and areas of use. In addition, ski resorts or ski areas do not normally have electricity on the ski slopes which is available for use with the operation of snow guns.

[0006] In addition, internal mixing snow guns also tend to be easily clogged, and they also are designed whereby one cannot operate the snow gun with water only when the ambient subfreezing temperatures are adequately low since when one turns off the air supply the water will back down the air supply tube and freeze in the air supply line.

[0007] It is therefore an object of the present invention to eliminate or at least greatly reduce the aforementioned disadvantages of internal mixing snow guns and to further provide a design wherein water may be directed out of the snow gun without the assistance of compressed air if so desired without unfavorable consequences.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0008] The snow making apparatus of the present invention is comprised of a metal snow gun housing having independent air and water chambers therein for supplying air and water under pressure to at least one nozzle in the housing for spraying air and water externally of the housing to produce snow in subfreezing ambient conditions. The nucleating nozzle of the snow gun or snow making apparatus of the present invention includes a tubular housing having a mixing chamber therein. The tubular housing is removably received in the snow gun housing, such as by threads, and is in sealed engagement with the snow gun housing, such as through the use of conventional O-ring seals. The tubular housing of the nucleating nozzle is provided with at least one aperture through side walls of the tubular housing whereby the at least one aperture registers with the air chamber within the snow gun housing for access of air under pressure through the aperture into the mixing chamber. A water nozzle is secured to the internal end of the tubular housing and the forward end of the water nozzle is axially exposed to the interior of the mixing chamber and the rearward end of the water nozzle is exposed to the water chamber of the metal snow gun housing for spraying water under pressure through a spray aperture in the water nozzle into the mixing chamber. A combination air-water nozzle is detachably secured, such as by threads, to the tubular housing of the nucleating nozzle at the external end of the mixing chamber and this air-water nozzle has a nozzle aperture therethrough which is axially aligned with the water nozzle aperture. This arrangement permits the water to be directed out of the nucleating nozzle to the exterior ambient atmosphere without the assistance of compressed air, if so desired. This concentric alignment of the water and combination nozzles provides a nucleator which will not freeze if the tower is operated without compressed air when cold weather so permits.

[0009] The apparatus is additionally designed also whereby the combination air-water nozzle of the nucleating nozzle is positioned in a recess in the metal snow gun housing whereby this combination nozzle is protected from freeze-up due to the surrounding warmth emanating from the housing because of the water flow. Ice crystals which might otherwise block the nozzle are melted by the merging with warmer water in the nozzle.

[0010] The entire tubular housing is cylindrical and is threadably received in the metal snow gun housing so that it can be readily removed, replaced and/or repaired. This tubular housing also includes a head that is exposed on its external end for engagement by tools, such as a wrench or screwdriver to threadably remove the tubular housing from the metal snow gun housing. As previously indicated, the combination air-water nozzle is in turn detachably secured to this tubular housing so that it can be easily removed and exchanged for a different size nozzle aperture.

[0011] A filter screen is also provided whereby it covers the spray aperture on the rearward end of the water spray nozzle for filtering water to be sprayed through the water nozzle. This filter screen is positioned within the water chamber of the snow gun housing between the water inlet for the water chamber and additional bulk water nozzles which spray water alone into the ambient atmosphere. These additional water nozzles are usually adjacently positioned above, below or beside the nucleating nozzle whereby the plumes thereby created will ultimately intermix with the plume created by the nucleating nozzle of the present invention.

[0012] This positioning of the filter screen between the water inlet and water outlets of the water chamber of the housing permits the water flow from the inlet to the water bulk water nozzles to assist in maintaining the filter screen free of debris. The filter screen is thereby maintained in a clean condition and prevents the water nozzle of the nucleating nozzle combination from becoming clogged.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0013] Other objects and advantages appear hereinafter in the following description and claims. The accompanying drawings show, for the purpose of exemplification, without limiting the invention or appended claims, certain practical embodiments of the present invention wherein:

[0014]FIG. 1 is a perspective view in side elevation of the snow making apparatus of the present invention; and

[0015]FIG. 2 is a sectional view showing bottom internal portions of the snow making apparatus of FIG. 1 as seen along section line 11-11.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0016] Referring to the drawings, the snow making apparatus 10 of the present invention is a snow gun which may be mounted on top of a tower support or on a support closer to ground level. This snow making apparatus 10 utilizes water and air under pressure to artificially produce snow. The snow making apparatus 10 includes a metal snow gun housing 11 having independent air and water chambers 12 and 13 respectively therein for supplying air and water under pressure to the nozzles of the metal snow gun housing 11 as described hereinafter.

[0017] The nucleating nozzle 14 of the snow making apparatus 10 of the present invention includes a tubular housing 15 having a mixing chamber 16 therein. Tubular housing 15 is removably received in snow gun housing 11 by engagement of machine threads 17 with female machine threads 18. Tubular housing 15 is received in housing 11 with sealed engagement by means of O-ring seals 20 and 21. These O-ring seals provide respectively a seal between the ambient exterior and air chamber 12 and a seal between air chamber 12 and water chamber 13.

[0018] Multiple apertures 22 are provided through the side walls of tubular housing 15 whereby the apertures 22 register with air chamber 12 for access of air under pressure from air chamber 12 into mixing chamber 16.

[0019] Mixing chamber 16 has an external end 24 and an internal end 25. Water nozzle 26 is secured to internal end 25 with the forward end 26 thereof axially exposed along axis 27 to the interior of mixing chamber 16. The rearward end 28 of water nozzle 25 is exposed to housing water chamber 13 for spraying water under pressure through spray aperture 29 into mixing chamber 16.

[0020] Filter screen 30 covers spray aperture 29 on the rearward end of water spray nozzle 26 for filtering water to be sprayed through the water nozzle. A combination air-water nozzle 31 is detachably secured by means of threads 32 to tubular housing 15 at the external end 24 of mixing chamber 16. Combination air-water nozzle 31 is provided with a nozzle aperture 33 therethrough which is axially aligned along axis 27 with water nozzle aperture 29.

[0021] Combination nozzle 31 is positioned in recess 34 of housing 11 whereby it is protected from freeze-up due to surrounding warmth emanating from housing 11 because of the warmer water flowing therein.

[0022] The snow making apparatus 10 of the present invention is also provided with two additional upper bulk water nozzles 35 and 36 which are threadably received in the housing 11 and have spray apertures which communicate with water chamber 13 for the external spraying of additional bulk water. Water plumes created by these additional bulk water sprays 35 and 36 will fall through and intermingle with the fine spray plume emitting from combination nozzle 31 to form an ever finer nucleated combination plume to produce quality snow.

[0023] The water inlet 37 of snow gun housing 11 is positioned below filter screen 30 whereby water flows past filter screen 30 upwardly in snow gun head 11 to eject from upper bulk water nozzles 35 and 36. This constant flow of water through chamber 13 past filter screen 30 assist in continually cleaning filter screen 30 or maintaining filter screen 30 free of debris.

[0024] Air under pressure is supplied to air chamber 12 either via a separate hose connection at access aperture 38, or through a support for the snow gun 11 which internally supplies air under pressure through aperture or passage 40. Either access may be plugged or unplugged as required. 

I claim:
 1. A snow making apparatus utilizing water and air to artificially produce snow and comprising: a metal snow gun housing having independent air and water chambers therein for supplying air and water under pressure to at least one nozzle in said housing for spraying air and water externally of said housing to produce snow in subfreezing ambient atmosphere; a nucleating nozzle including a tubular housing having a mixing chamber therein, said tubular housing removably received in said snow gun housing with sealed engagement and having at least one aperture through side walls thereof whereby said at least one aperture registers with said air chamber for access of air under pressure therethrough into said mixing chamber, said mixing chamber having an external end and an internal end, a water nozzle secured to said internal end with a forward end thereof axially exposed to the interior of said mixing chamber and having a rearward end thereof exposed to said housing water chamber for spraying water under pressure through a spray aperture in said water nozzle into said mixing chamber, and a combination air-water nozzle detachably secured to said tubular housing at the external end of said mixing chamber and having a nozzle aperture therethrough which is axially aligned with said water nozzle aperture.
 2. The snow making apparatus of claim 1, wherein said combination nozzle is positioned in a recess in said housing whereby said combination nozzle is protected from freeze-up due to the surrounding warmth emanating from said housing.
 3. The snow making apparatus of claim 1, wherein said tubular housing is cylindrical and is threadably received in said metal snow gun housing and includes a head exposed on said external end for engagement by a tool to threadably remove said tubular housing from said metal snow gun housing.
 4. The snow making apparatus of claim 3, including O-ring seals disposed on opposite sides of said at least one aperture between said tubular housing and said metal snow gun housing.
 5. The snow making apparatus of claim 1, including a filter screen covering said spray aperture on the rearward end of said water spray nozzle for filtering water to be sprayed through said nozzle.
 6. The snow making apparatus of claim 5, including at least one water nozzle in said metal snow gun housing and communicating with said water chamber for spraying water to ambient atmosphere, said filter screen positioned in said water chamber between said at least one water nozzle and a water inlet for said water chamber whereby water flow from said inlet to said at least one nozzle assists in maintaining said filter screen free of debris. 